While Choi Seo-jun was staying in the US, the whole world was pouring out the na "Al-Jahad" in the news every day.
It was an ard group that took control of northern Iraq.
The regi was helpless, and the US began to review deploying troops again.
Mosul and Karbala.
And even the area of Kirkuk, where the oil transport pipeline was located.
News of combat was reported almost every day.
International oil prices fluctuated, and Middle Eastern capital felt uneasy, smuggling funds overseas.
Politics, economy, and the market were all shaken.
And Korea was no exception to that confusion.
The news anchor spoke with a sowhat heavy voice.
"Due to the worsening situation in the Middle East, the unit price of crude oil imports is soaring. A full-scale blow is expected, not only to the oil refining industry but also to aviation logistics."
Stock prices plumted, and companies entered into austerity asures.
The uncertain international situation began to affect oil-related investnts within the Taeseong Group as well.
Choi Seo-jun heard this news and contacted , Lim Hyunjun.
-CEO, if the Al-Jahad situation is prolonged, there is a possibility that investnt by private operators in Iraq itself will be prohibited.
I heard those words and checked my tablet without any sign of surprise.
"The possibility is probably high. More than that, CEO Choi, how is the situation in the US?"
After a mont of silence, the voice of CEO Choi Seo-jun heard over the phone was very bright.
-CEO, to be honest with you... oil-related derivatives are a huge hit thanks to this incident. Today'
s profit alone jumped by tens of percent.
After selling Universe Gas and continuing to invest, my funds had increased enormously.
Choi Seo-jun continued his words, unable to hide his excitent.
-Aren'
t oil-related derivatives high-risk products? Because the oil price jumped, the rate of return exceeded 30%.
"In that case, since we invested 20 billion won and applied 20 tis leverage, the total profit would be around 120 billion won."
My voice was indifferent.
As if that much was no big deal.
Choi Seo-jun stopped talking for a mont, then spoke awkwardly.
-Actually, I opposed it at first, but at that ti, I thought this was gambling. I thought it was nonsensical to apply 20 tis leverage and bet everything on a single oil price prediction. But looking at it now, you are truly amazing. How did you predict such a thing?
I, Lim Hyunjun, turned the tablet screen and spoke calmly.
"Hahaha. Shall I say it'
s because I'
ve been interested in the international situation lately?"
I made a bold investnt because I knew the future, but how could I say that as it is?
I had no choice but to make an excuse this ti too.
I only hoped that Choi Seo-jun wouldn'
t pry further.
-As expected of you, CEO.
Sohow it seed to have worked out unintentionally, as Choi Seo-jun only marveled while looking at .
"I was just lucky. It'
s a relief that it worked out well. Then I should prepare to sell now."
A short silence flowed for a mont.
Choi Seo-jun asked with a sowhat surprised voice.
-CEO, are you going to sell now?
Choi Seo-jun'
s tone was still calm, but hesitation was felt sowhere.
-I think it'
s still early. There seems to be room for more rising. The local atmosphere is like that, and the market reaction is still a positive flow. Haven'
t you made the decision too quickly?
I turned the tablet screen without a word for a mont and then answered slowly.
"The ti when everyone covets it is actually the ti when one must sell. The market always rises amid expectations and goes out amid greed."
Choi Seo-jun inhaled quietly.
The mont he heard my words, his head felt dazed as if hit by sothing.
He was also a talented person who graduated from the top university in Korea and heard that he was a genius, but in his view, I seed to have sothing that transcended that.
Even looking at the words I gave to Choi Seo-jun just now, I wasn'
t just talking about a simple investnt principle.
It was a sense that only soone who could look at the market coldly could have.
This was perhaps sothing one had to be born with, sothing one couldn'
t have no matter how hard they tried.
Choi Seo-jun answered my words.
-I understand. I will keep those words deep in my heart. I will settle it imdiately and report back.
I smiled and nodded.
"You’ve worked hard, CEO Choi."
-Not at all. I had a valuable experience thanks to you, CEO.
After hanging up the phone, Choi Seo-jun sat in front of the computer and began the settlent work.
His touch was cautious as always, but a conviction he had never felt before was settled in his heart.
That the person he was serving was perhaps a more amazing person than he thought.
At first, he had thought of as just so rascal from a chaebol family.
In fact, people thought of that way as they watched.
But at so point, I changed and approached Choi Seo-jun.
Looking at the moves I had shown so far, they were only things that not just anyone could do.
The sense of frustration he felt when he first entered Taeseong and took charge of managing had vanished before he knew it.
Rather, he thought it was great luck that he t at that ti.
If soone else and not Choi Seo-jun had managed at that ti, perhaps the person who ca to the US might have been soone else.
For Choi Seo-jun, I was a partner he wanted to be with for a lifeti.
Working with , he now felt like living was worth it.
He opened his palm, clenched his fist tightly, and then opened it.
With this hand, he could soon manipulate an enormous amount of money.
It was sothing he wouldn'
t even dare to dream of if it weren'
t for .
***
Taeseong Construction headquarters 20th floor grand conference room.
The faces of the executives summoned by an ergency call were full of tension.
Exactly one hour ago.
The official notification sent by a Southern Refinery Company in Iraq arrived at the headquarters.
From that mont, the entire company was effectively switched to an ergency system.
This incident was spreading into a sense of crisis for the entire group beyond Taeseong Construction.
President Lim Do-hyun, sitting in the center of the conference room, spoke quietly.
"As you all may have heard, a re-evaluation instruction was issued from the Iraqi side. The official expression is '
re-notification after review,'
but looking at the local situation, it should be seen as an indefinite suspension."
As soon as President Lim'
s words ended, Vice President Yoon Jae-hyuk continued the words.
"President, at a point where the progress rate has already exceeded 23%, this kind of suspension will clearly bring financial loss. About 18% of the company'
s liquid assets are tied up in that business. The funds scheduled to be invested within this quarter alone are over 700 billion won. If it goes on like this, there is a possibility of not only a short-term credit rating drop but also the departure of foreign investnt funds."
Yoon Jae-hyuk'
s words were an accurate reality mixed with not a single shred of emotion.
It was also the reason why Chairman Lim Man-seok sat Yoon Jae-hyuk in the position of Vice President of Taeseong Construction.
President Lim Do-hyun just nodded without saying anything.
"So what is the counterasure?"
This ti, Jeong Seong-pil, the head of the International Business Departnt, spoke while turning the report with trembling hands.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the Iraqi governnt through the local embassy. However, currently, even the Southern Refinery Company, which is the ordering party, is moving by direct order from the governnt, so it is not easy. There is a penalty clause that we can claim under the contract, but actual execution seems to be quite difficult."
The conference room atmosphere beca increasingly heavy.
Then, Lee Tae-jun, the Managing Director of Overseas Subsidiary Managent, leaned forward from his seat and raised his voice.
"Then should we just watch? This project is sothing we prepared for years to win. If we step back now, Taeseong Construction will be labeled as an unreliable company in the Middle East region in the future."
Lee Tae-jun was a long-ti close associate of Lim Do-hyun.
"It is a crisis now, but at the sa ti, it is an opportunity. We need to quickly secure a link with the governnt'
s diplomatic line and step forward for direct negotiations with Iraq at the headquarters level."
Vice President Yoon Jae-hyuk frowned.
"Expecting governnt intervention is not realistic. This is a corporate risk. It is a weight we must carry."
A subtle tension flowed between the two.
Then, President Lim Do-hyun opened his mouth.
"I understood the thoughts of you two sufficiently well. Now is not the ti to weigh whose fault it is. What is needed right now is to mobilize all diplomatic channels to officially confirm the reason for the suspension and keep the possibility of claiming penalties open. And at the sa ti, we must think of the worst-case scenario and prepare financial counterasures."
The conference room beca quiet again at President Lim Do-hyun'
s firm voice.
This is because everyone instinctively felt that they couldn'
t easily pass over this situation.
It was when a heavy silence descended on the conference room again.
The conference room door opened without notice.
The gazes of all the executives turned in one direction.
Standing there was the chairman of Taeseong Group, Lim Man-seok.
Despite his age with graying hair, there was power in his stride.
It was extrely rare for the chairman to personally appear in the Taeseong Construction conference room.
Moreover, appearing without any notice is unusual.
It was a testant to how important this matter was.
Vice President Yoon Jae-hyuk bowed toward Chairman Lim Man-seok.
President Lim Do-hyun also stood up and bowed, saying.
"I didn'
t know Father would co personally. If you had told in advance..."
Lim Man-seok raised his hand toward his son.
It was a sound to stop talking.
He spat out a word with a heavy expression.
"When the Iraq project might be suspended, how could a person who is the head of Taeseong Construction just sit still!"
The entire conference room montarily froze at Chairman Lim Man-seok'
s heavy reproach.
In his strict and firm voice, there was not just a reprimand for the situation, but also a warning sent to his son.
Lim Man-seok did not sit down but looked around at the executives with his hands gathered carefully behind his back.
"Taeseong Construction collapsing overseas doesn'
t just an one construction company is shaking. It ans the trust in the na '
Taeseong'
collapses as well."
Chairman Lim Man-seok'
s gaze went straight to Vice President Yoon Jae-hyuk.
"Vice President Yoon, how serious is it now?"
Vice President Yoon Jae-hyuk answered calmly.
"Chairman, the progress rate is at 23.4%. Furthermore, the scheduled investnt funds within the quarter are over 700 billion won. About 18% of the total liquid assets are linked to that business. If the suspension is confird, not only the company'
s trust but also the risk of foreign capital departure will worsen."
Chairman Lim Man-seok nodded and closed his mouth for a mont as if in silent ditation.
In the anti, Managing Director Lee Tae-jun cautiously continued his words.
"Chairman, the possibility is still open. We might be able to turn it into a defernt rather than a suspension by forming a headquarters direct negotiation team and through diplomatic communication via the local embassy."
Lee Tae-jun was the closest associate of President Lim Do-hyun.
His statent was also the opinion of the president.
Lim Man-seok, who was silent for a mont, looked at his younger son, Lim Do-hyun.
"Do-hyun."
"Yes, Father."
"You take responsibility for this and do it until the end. Not as the president of Taeseong Construction, but as my son."
Lim Do-hyun'
s expression hardened.
Taking responsibility for a business that might have already failed was no different from receiving a death sentence.
Regardless of the result, the responsibility belonged to President Lim Do-hyun.
"...I will keep that in mind."
Chairman Lim Man-seok threw his last words after looking around the conference room once with a whoosh.
"Everyone, risk your lives on this incident."
The mont those words ended, the conference room sank heavily, even the sound of breathing.
User Comments
0 comments from readers